MOVING IN ... MIDDLETOWN

- Kathleen SchasslerTHE HARTFORD COURANT

Last year, Joyce Hatton-Yarrow felt pulled to return to Middletown after six years' living along the shore in Madison.

The change was aimed at cutting her commute to work, church and other social activities, said Hatton-Yarrow, who calls Madison "a wonderful town." But with more than four decades of involvement - living and working - in the Middletown community, Hatton-Yarrow's ties to the city ran deep.

Her top criteria for buying a home were commuter accessibility, affordability and a pleasant, safe place to live, said Hatton-Yarrow, who is the executive director of the Middlesex Habitat for Humanity.

Working with agent Cindy Craig of William Raveis Real Estate of Middletown, who also volunteers with Habitat for Humanity, Hatton-Yarrow toured about 27 condos in less than two months. She also studied online information about listings Craig sent and other properties she found on her own.

Narrowing her choice to four condos in the Middletown-Cromwell area that all seemed to meet her criteria, Hatton-Yarrow looked more closely at each.

She was able to eliminate three for various reasons. One was in "a dense, congested area with a lot of traffic," another "needed a lot of work," and the third property was really "more than I wanted to pay," Hatton-Yarrow said.

The fourth property was in a quiet area with "well-maintained grounds" and offered scenic views from the condo windows. The interior was "bright and cheery," with an east-west exposure. The condo also had easy accessibility to a wooded trail system in an area that is active with wildlife. And the property didn't require much work, aside from some cosmetic updating, which Hatton-Yarrow was willing to do.

After deciding that the condo seemed a perfect match, Hatton-Yarrow placed a bid and negotiated briefly with the sellers before agreeing on the price.

"It was an easy process. My agent was helpful, there were no issues with the bank, and the move was just great," said Hatton-Yarrow, who rented a truck and enlisted the help of 10 Habitat for Humanity volunteers to help move her belongings from Madison.

"Shopping and moving can be very stressful," Hatton-Yarrow said. But, she added, "if you do your homework, set your criteria and take good notes, it's not so bad."